Ascension - Part 1

by edgarmash79

After leaving the World Martial Arts Tournament to begin his training under a new teacher, Uub, now 16 years of age, was gearing up to participate in the 30th World Tournament. Elsewhere, a new menace emerges from the Eleventh Universe, one whose abilities could lead the very multiverse into dangerous times. This is a remaster of a previous version that I had published before.

6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – "The price of truth? Uub's showdown in the past."

A flame burns out

Twenty-eight days remained until the start of the World Martial Arts Tournament, yet neither Pan nor Uub had felt a trace of Goku's ki anywhere. It made Uub wonder if Goku would ever return in time.

Today's task involved moving large rocks to a section of the south river that redirected the water to an irrigation system. Uub and Pan handled the heavy labor while the villagers worked on assembling the system. They watched, waited, and cheered when the river water reached its new destination.

Pan received much praise from the villagers, hugged all around by the women. "Thank you so much for your idea, Pan! We can finally grow rice in our village!"

Red in the face, Pan made a small bow while still wearing her turtle shell. "I can't take all the credit. None of this would be possible without Papa's lessons."

Uub pointed out the newly constructed field before Pan. "Yet you came up with the measurements and angles to redirect the river." He then offered his hand. "You come from a smart family, Pan. I'm happy that you could study hard while training with me."

The irrigation system to link rice paddies wasn't the first idea Pan had designed. She helped expand the village to include new features to improve the quality of life on the island.

First came the improvement to the building she first saw constructed when she arrived. There were texts about food preservation and shelving units Gohan worked on that she implemented during her training. Within a week, the village had a proper pantry for the whole island to walk in and out of to gather what they needed. The addition of rice paddies along with gardens for vegetables would allow additional items that would guarantee they'd never be forced into starvation again. Pan even accounted for weather conditions such as tropical storms by securing the foundation.

Next came a greenhouse that was an equal mix of plant life and insects used to study a variety of remedies not commonly found on the island. Each new construction project involved Uub and Pan gathering materials while the villagers implemented Pan's blueprints and schematics.

With each completed project, Pan received a heap of praise and adoration for her hard work and dedication, but her face indicated she was too embarrassed to be the center of attention. "Please! We all did this together!" she had to remind them.

After they assembled their third project, a working hospital, Uub's mother took a turn for the worse. Uub wanted to scold her for volunteering her time, even though her health had deteriorated over the years. She was transferred to the intensive care unit of the hospital, where Pitaya and Pan took turns watching over her. Pitaya was interested in some of Pan's studies and dedicated herself to studying medicine. She still yearned to be among the beautiful maidens of the island and secure a husband in the future, but Pitaya knew she could be more useful studying to be a doctor without the need to find one on the mainland.

Coco and Natta worked hard at improving their culinary skills, while Caram worked on carpentry and foundation assembly with the adults. "Building things is awesome!" he exclaimed after finishing the island's pantry.

"I suppose I should go tell mother the good news," Uub said as he watched the women work on setting up the rice paddies.

He was halted when Pan grabbed his turtle shell. "Wearing this?"

Uub glanced behind him. He had adjusted to the weight of the shell so often he sometimes needed a reminder from Pan to take it off at the end of the day when all the chores were done. She even gave him a few weird looks when he forgot to remove the shell to eat dinner with his siblings.

"Right! Sorry," Uub said. He slipped the shell off his back and let it crash behind him. The weight caused it to sink into the soil. Pan wasn't as careless about discarding hers, laying it down beside Uub's.

As they walked to the hospital, Pan stretched her arms. "I need a hot bath after this."

"Same here," Uub said. His muscles ached, screaming for relief.

"But first, I want to test my strength. I want to know if I have the power to reach Super Saiyan now," Pan said. It was the first time in months since she brought up that little chestnut. Despite initially complaining about the turtle shells, Uub hadn't heard a peep from Pan about her Super Saiyan goal. He believed it was still in the back of her mind while they were using Goku's special training, but it was the first time he had ever heard her bring it up that he had completely forgotten it was something she was almost obsessed with.

"Shouldn't we wait until Master Goku returns?" Uub asked. Pan stopped, her face changing. It was clear to Uub that Pan was hiding frustration towards her Grandfather for leaving so abruptly, with no specific date regarding his return. The Tournament was less than a month away, and Goku still hadn't returned.

Uub himself had unanswered questions he wanted to ask Goku. The lack of his Master's presence for this long made him wonder if something had held him back, or was there something dire he needed to take care of, or was it worse?

Most importantly, Uub wanted to know: Why was he so strong? How did he have this power in the first place? And why won't Goku answer his question?

And will the answer be something other than "Don't worry about it?" He hadn't brought it up often with his Master, but he was met with the same answer or something of the like each time: "Don't worry about it.", "Concentrate on your ki.", "Think about becoming stronger.", etc.

What if the reason was something else? What if Goku knew the answer but wouldn't tell him? What if the answer lay elsewhere?

"Are you coming or not?!" Pan yelled from the hospital entrance. Uub had slowed so much he was making baby steps towards the hospital while Pan had already gone inside, only to poke her head out. "Sorry!" Uub yelled back.

They entertained Uub's mother until the nurse had to shoo them out of the hospital. Dusk had filled the skyline with beautiful colors that Pan needed to be above the trees for a breathtaking view.

"I should send a picture of this to mama and papa," she said as she framed the background with her hands. Uub nodded emphatically, amused that there was a grand landscape of transitioning colors from warm to cold as the sun set over the horizon. It was close to dinnertime judging by the skyline, Uub figured.

"We should join my siblings for dinner before they start calling for us," Uub said. Rather than agree, Pan decided to float towards the beach at the back of the island. "Pan…?"

"I wanna get this out of the way first," she said, glancing behind her. She wasn't wearing her orange bandana, at least on days when she knew heavy labor was to be done. A bandana tarnished by her sweat wasn't something she wanted. "It'd mess up my hair too much," she would add when folding it to leave it beside her bed. She did get a kick out of wearing her favorite gi, one she said was given to her by "Uncle Piccolo." Uub had seen him occasionally whenever he paid a visit to keep up to date with her training. His last visit informed them he'd be up at Kami's Lookout if they needed him.

What kind of place was this Lookout anyhow? Pan had never been there either, but she planned on visiting that place once Goku returned to spend some time with Piccolo before the Tournament. As rugged as the green-skinned relative of Pan was, he wasn't without his gentleness towards Gohan's family. He did not hesitate about saying he'd be there at the Tournament to support them as they participated. Pan was thrilled to hear that.

"Get what out of the way?" Uub asked once they landed on the soft sandy beach. Pan pounded her chest with a fist, grinning. "Transform into a Super Saiyan, of course! Today's the day I kick this Saiyan blood of mine into high gear!"

Uub couldn't know what to make of such a boast. Pan planted her fists on her hips, staring back. "What? You don't think I can do it?"

"I didn't say anything," Uub protested. "I hope it works this time. Just don't forget what triggers the transformation."

From what he was told about transforming into a Super Saiyan from Goku, it all came down to anger. To what extent that level of anger was supposed to be, Uub had no clue. Pan had her moments during his time with her, but they didn't look as if it would be enough to break through her limits. The stories he heard from Goku about himself, his son, and his rival, all using extreme anger, made Uub wonder if Pan had such an experience. His reason for having such a doubtful expression was that nothing came to mind regarding an extreme moment of rage. Despite all that he learned, he was doubtful whether she could pull it off but did not rule out the possibility.

"I need to get angry," Pan said. Her hands were balled into fists, closed tightly. Uub maintained a proper distance from her while she made her attempt, waiting for the spark that skyrocketed her ki. On the other hand, he hadn't expected that her ki had risen significantly since the beginning of their training. The well had widened and deepened with the help of those weighted turtle shells. Such a development could not have gone unnoticed, making Uub wonder if others had sensed Pan's ki rising to unprecedented heights.

While her ki rose, Pan furrowed her brow, giving herself to her anger. "Think of all the things that anger you the most!" Uub reminded her. "Don't you think I'm trying?!" Pan yelled back.

He chuckled. "Right."

Her ki continued to flare until Uub could sense it was reaching its limit because it had not risen any higher. She grunted, eyes closed. "Come on…!"

One final attempt had her hair flare up for a split second. A golden aura filtered through her white aura, but it blipped out quickly. It was then that Pan's ki gave out on her, and she collapsed to her hands and knees.

"Pan…!"

Uub ran to help her to her feet. She pressed a hand to her forehead. "Easy. I got you."

He held her steady for a moment, but Pan wasn't looking at him. She kept staring at the beach. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

Uub expected a face full of tears, but Pan looked too exhausted to shed anything. Wearing a weak smile, she glanced at Uub with half-open eyes. "I gave it my best shot, but I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Catching her before she fell forward, Uub lifted her into his arms to carry her back to the village. He then laid her on her bed to rest before sitting with his siblings, slowly stirring a rice-less curry dish.

"Is Pan okay?" Pitaya was the first to break the silence. Uub lifted his head to see that all four siblings gave him a worried look. "Pan's fine. She's just exhausted."

"We're going to visit mom after dinner," Caram said. "Want to join us?"

"I already saw her earlier with Pan," Uub said into his food. "You guys go on ahead. I should keep an eye on Pan if she wakes up and wants something to eat."

Pitaya and Caram exchanged looks before his sister gave him a smug grin. "I see what's going on." Uub was about to get a spoonful into his mouth when he noticed she wasn't stopping with that look. "What—?"

"Is Pan becoming more than a friend?" Pitaya asked. Uub nearly dropped the spoon, while his youngest siblings looked puzzled. "More than a friend?" Coco asked.

"Yeah. When you're older, you see some of your friends differently. Then you start to like them more and more until you get all smoochy with them," Pitaya explained, making kissing motions at Uub.

"Stop that," Uub muttered. "Pan and I are friends. We work together, train together, and look out for each other. I don't know where you get the idea that she's 'more' than a friend, sis."

Pitaya mischievously waited until Uub was drinking water from his cup. "I've seen the way Pan looks at you sometimes. Maybe she thinks you're more than a friend to her?"

It was too easy. Uub spat out his water, avoiding hitting his siblings. Pitaya couldn't help but laugh. "I'm kidding…!"

"Sis, please! Pan and I are training hard for the World Tournament. I can't think about things like that!" Uub cried. He hastily finished his plate and glass, leaving the table to go back inside. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a couple of adults attempting to lift the turtle shells without success. If there were a door, he'd slam it behind him.

Flopping down on his bed, Uub stared at the ceiling. He did not want to entertain ideas that could distract him during his training. He glanced in his sister's room, expecting to see Pan awake again, but she was still resting.

The more he tried to ignore what Pitaya had said, the more he thought about what Pan meant to him. She was a good friend; he never doubted that. She's been caring, great with the other kids, amazing with his siblings, attentive to his sick mother at the hospital, and a valuable asset to the village. He liked that about her. But did her dedication to helping others and training hard equate to liking her? Was he developing feelings, or was this general appreciation for her friendship? Right now, what he needed were answers. What he needed was to see Master Goku again.

The end of the week saw no sign of Goku. Twenty-one days remained until the fateful day of the competition, where a hundred million zenni was the prize, and a new champion was to be crowned. As much as he reminded himself of Goku's words that winning wasn't the goal of the Tournament, he'd much rather hear Goku repeat them in person.

Pan looked equally pensive as she carried her box of milk bottles. Milk delivery on the mainland along a small village located east of Metro East was one of several weekly chores while wearing their turtle shells. From milk to produce, Uub and Pan had their hands full. It was challenging at first to adjust to the heavy turtle shells. But once they regained their momentum, much of their work was done effortlessly.

Just as Uub was about to ask her, Pan broke the silence first. "You look like you're thinking about a lot of things," she said. Uub gave her an intrigued look. "I was about to ask the same of you."

They found themselves awkwardly attempting to speak their mind. "You first," they both said together. "No, it's okay, I insist," they continued in unison. After a quick laugh, Pan was the one to speak.

"I keep thinking back to that attempt I made," she said. "And I think Uncle Piccolo may be right."

"About what?" asked Uub. Their pace hadn't slowed, though they nearly avoided a horse-drawn cart full of hay barrels that missed trampling over them.

"Maybe I shouldn't put so much effort into obsessing over this transformation. Besides, nothing I can think of would make me angry enough to break my limit. There must be another way to become stronger if I fight you or Bulla. I don't know if I could do it as I am now."

Uub's lips curled into a frown. He stopped and laid his box of milk bottles down before standing in front of Pan. Holding his hand out, he stared intently at her. "Hit me as hard as you can."

"Huh?"

"Hit me as hard as you can," Uub repeated, sterner this time. If Goku were here, he'd ask Pan to do the same.

Pan raised her eyebrows. Uub didn't care that bystanders watched this odd situation play itself out. "We're in the middle of a delivery, Uub. Why would you—?"

"Just do it!"

She furrowed her brow and swung. The impact of her fist against Uub's palm created a shockwave that shook the landscape. Farmers and locals lost their balance and fell, some on top of each other. The livestock broke into a stampede that forced cattle ranchers to sprint away in a panic, while some poor bystander had stood behind Uub with his hat blown off and his hair all over the place, blinking rapidly out of surprise.

"You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for," Uub said, grabbing his box of milk bottles to resume his trek. "You don't want to let your Uncle and Grandfather down, do you?"

"No," Pan whispered as she resumed her trek with her box. "But—"

Uub glanced to his side. "Pan. Stop thinking about winning or losing. The purpose of training is to prove how much you've improved. Your punches pack a bigger wallop than they did months ago."

He wasn't kidding since he could still feel the sting in his palm. He only hoped he could give her a vote of confidence moving forward that she had made significant progress without the need to transform. That, at least, should be good enough going forward.

"I hope you're right," Pan said. "But I have to consider what happens afterward. I want to do some good for the world, fight bad guys, save lives, and become a hero like my Papa. To be honest, I wish I was as strong as him."

Uub hadn't seen much of Pan's father unless it involved his Master somehow. He did remember seeing Gohan wear that hero's costume that Pan thought was still neat if it weren't for those weird poses Gohan liked to do while wearing it. Uub began to imagine himself wearing a similar costume, though it'd be orange in color rather than green, with a blue cape.

"What are you blushing about?" Pan asked. Uub almost dropped his box. "N-nothing. Sorry."

She gave him a look, but the color had also gone to her cheeks that Uub noticed seconds later. Rather than elaborate, they decided it was more important to get these deliveries out of the way before returning to the village.

Dusk began to settle over the horizon by the time they returned. Setting their turtle shells beside Uub's house, they were surprised to see that none of his siblings were inside, nor were they preparing dinner.

Uub searched, expecting a surprise party, but the more he searched, the more he dreaded what might have pulled their focus away from household chores and dinner preparations.

His mother.

He immediately bolted for the hospital, not giving Pan time to ask what was happening. She was close behind, running just as fast until they rounded the hospital to burst through the entrance. His siblings were there, surrounding their mother.

"Thank goodness you made it in time, big brother," said Caram. Uub received hugs from his siblings before giving his mother's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm back, mother."

His mother reached with her other hand to lay it on top of his, tapping it a couple of times. Her smile was still the genuine smile of a mother who had given all of her love to her children since they were born. When her eyes met Pan's, she gestured for the girl to come to her.

Pan already had tears falling down her cheeks when she entered her arms. She gently shook her head, using her fingers to wipe more stray drops from Pan's face, her smile never wavering. Pitaya was in the middle of consoling the young twins, but neither she nor Caram looked aggrieved. Uub rested his hand on Pan's shoulder. "Mother doesn't want you to be sad, Pan."

From what he had been told, Pan was loved as much as Uub's siblings were. Watching his mother's hand stroke Pan's hair, Uub figured all these feelings must've been as if he had another younger sister he could train with.

"It's not fair." Pan's voice was shaking. She pulled away, expecting more sobbing faces, but none of the older children shed a single tear aside from the twins. Uub could see that it did not sit well within her.

She rounded on them. "How can you be so emotionless about this?! Your mother's going to die, and none of you want to do anything to stop it!"

Uub's mouth tightened. "Pan—"

"We have Dragonballs!" she yelled. "I can gather them and wish your mother to be healthy again!"

Pitaya and Caram exchanged looks. Uub could tell it had crossed their minds to summon Shenron and wish their mother's sickness away. But the content look on her face told them everything they needed to hear. She made her choice out of her desire to see their father once again in the Otherworld.

"Please!" Pan pleaded through sobs. "I can't stand to see her like this! She should be able to see you all grow up! Pitaya wants to be a doctor, and Caram wants to be a carpenter. Coco and Natta are going to be great cooks when they're older. And I want her to watch you fight in the Tournament, Uub!"

Pan's sobbing was making Uub misty-eyed. He pulled her into a hug, letting her continue sobbing against him. "I'm sorry, Pan. Mother made her choice. We h-have to respect it," Uub said, keeping his voice steady.

The children had a harder time adjusting to the loss of their father after a horrific boating accident. Their mother's strength helped them overcome it, but it withered her life as she mourned their loss in exchange. Her health continued to decline until she was resigned to her fate, choosing to let her life expire. It wasn't the first time Uub had witnessed death since other villagers had died in that accident. His mother's encouraging words helped him prepare for when she was ready to go. It prepared his siblings, but watching Pan's wailing against his chest reminded him of how challenging it was to remain in control of his emotions.

A few extra visitors from the village included the Chieftain, all with somber expressions. The Chieftain offered a few words, but Uub shook his head. He wanted them to wait outside until they knew it was time to leave, but not before each sibling laid their hand on their mother one last time, waiting for her last breath to leave her forever.

The next two days had Pan gradually recover emotionally while preparations were underway to celebrate the life of Uub's mother. A funeral pyre was set up in the center of the village with torches and floral arrangements. According to the Chieftain, celebrating the passage of someone into the Otherworld was met with praise and honor, which seemed to soften Pan's bereavement. Uub found that she had been frequenting his side more often during this period.

The honor of lighting the fire fell upon Uub, who channeled ki into igniting the pyre. His mother was delicately wrapped from head to toe, and as the flames consumed her, he closed his eyes. "Farewell, mother. Thank you for everything you've done for us," he whispered.

The following morning, Uub searched for Pan around the house but found no trace of her. He asked his siblings about her location, wondering if one of them had seen her leave at some point. No one knew when she had left.

"Pan? Pan! Where are you?" Uub called out as he searched the village. He asked around, but none of the villagers had seen her whereabouts either. "Pan…!"

He looked through the beaches but found them empty. She had to be somewhere!

If seeking with his eyes wasn't going to cut it, he'd have to find her ki. Touching his forehead with two fingers, he sought her ki signature.

After tracking her ki for some time, he located her on another island to the north. Thank goodness she hadn't flown too far from the village. With some focus, he teleported to her location.

"Hey," Uub said as he sat on the sandy beach next to her. Pan had her knees up to her chest, burying her face so no one could see it. "I want to be alone for a while," she said, though some of her voice was muffled through her legs.

"I'm starting to worry about you," Uub said. He wasn't sure how to approach this. Does he wrap an arm around her? Does he pat her on the head? Does he gently rub her back to help?

Pan rose her head to glance at him, wondering if she noticed how awkward his face must look to her. "I'll be fine. Just leave me alone."

"I can't," said Uub. Pan breathed a sigh. "Uub, please, I need to process this."

"I'm worried about how it'll affect your training. There's not much time left, and with you like this, I worry you may make a mistake."

Pan's glance turned into a glare. "You're really bad at gauging girls, Uub."

Uub's worries were heating his cheeks, which didn't help now that he had upset Pan. "I'm sorry."

"I will be fine," Pan said. She reassured him with a grin. "I need time alone to think about everything, not just what happened."

She then reached over and kissed Uub on the cheek. "Thank you for being there for me. You've been handling this way better than I have."

Uub's hand reached for his cheek, blinking. "Y-yeah. You're, um, welcome."

Pan shoved him forward. "Go back to the village. Hopefully, Grandpa will make up his mind and come back this time."

Now was as good of a time as any to call him back. "Right. I should flare up my ki to help him get a better lock on me," Uub said as he rose. He flew above the island, gauging the distance between himself and the village. He fired up his ki, closing his eyes to focus.

It took him several seconds to raise his ki, but eventually, he accomplished his task. Goku appeared before him, confused. "Is there trouble? Why're ya flaring your ki so much for?"

"Master!" Uub cried, allowing his ki to drop back to normal. "Thank goodness. Pan and I were worried you weren't coming back before the Tournament started."

"Huh? When'd I say I was gonna miss the Tournament? I said I was gonna come back a month before, didn't I?" Goku stated, but that only annoyed Uub.

"That was ten days ago!" Uub yelled, arms in the air. "Did you lose track of time?"

Goku counted on his hands before he realized his mistake. A look of embarrassment overcame his face as he tried to cast it aside with laughter. "Sorry, sorry! My mistake!"

Uub palmed his face, sighing heavily. "Honestly…!"

Goku collected himself before his eyes darted around. "Huh? Pan's not with you? Did something happen?"

"Pan'll be fine," Uub said. He pointed down to the empty island across from his village. "She wants to be alone, though."

Uub then recounted what had been going on while Goku was away. They landed near the village as he continued narrating everything up to when he spoke about his mother's deteriorating health, eventually culminating in her passing away.

Goku took it all in stride, watching Pan pace back and forth across the beach, arms crossed. "Even if you did gather the Dragonballs, Shenron couldn't grant your wish. If your mother chose to give up her life, there ain't nothin' he can do about it. It's like dyin' of natural causes."

Uub gave his Master an appreciative look. "Mother said she hated the idea of magical spheres granting wishes. There's nothing to gain from fixing your problems with magic."

Goku's face twitched when he heard that. Uub had figured Goku dabbled with these Dragonballs often that he probably never considered the opinion of those who strenuously objected to their use. Uub thought nothing much about what these orbs meant, only that they existed and a wish could be granted from them. If he could summon Shenron himself, he'd ask him for the truth about his power.

Uub watched Pan pace until she paused, leaned forward, and jumped while waving her hands when she noticed Goku beside him. "I wish I could've asked my mother about my power. I was so busy with our training I never had the chance to ask her—"

"GRANDPA!"

Uub hadn't had time to ask his next question when Pan tackled Goku to the sand, wrapping her arms around him. "Grandpa! I missed you so much!"

"Sorry I kept ya waitin' so long," Goku said, hand pressed to his granddaughter's cheek. "I didn't mean to lose track of time like that."

"Well, I'm just glad to see you're back!" Pan cried. Perhaps seeing a familiar face in her presence was what she needed.

Once things cooled down, Goku assessed the two, eyeing them. "Yep! Both your ki have jumped a lot since I left. The Old-timer Turtle Hermit's training paid off, huh?"

Pan pumped her fist in the air. "You better believe it, Grandpa! I almost became a Super Saiyan!"

"Really? That's awesome!" Goku exclaimed. "A few more tries oughta do it, I think."

"Um…." Pan let her excitement die as fast as she lowered her arm. "I've been thinking about that for the last few days. Between Uub's mom passing away and the Tournament coming up and thinking about whether you'd ever come back, I'm not sure if being a Super Saiyan is the right way to go."

She planted her fists on her hips, nodding proudly. "I remember seeing my papa do some amazing things as I grew up. He's very strong, so I want to be as strong as he is." She raised her hand, pointing to the sky, which looked comical to Uub. But then her face blanked, frozen mid-thought. "Only I don't know how."

Goku considered Pan's words while cupping his chin. Uub was certain his Master had a practical solution to help his friend, but Goku's brow furrowed so much it looked like he was overthinking it.

He then snapped his fingers. "Oh, now I remember! I know someone from the Otherworld who can unlock someone's potential! That's how your papa got so strong in the past!"

Pan's eyes widened, as did her smile. "Really, Grandpa? I can't believe it!"

Goku rested his hand on his granddaughter's head. "Yeah. He's one of the old Kais that live way up there in the Otherworld with the Supreme Kai. But wouldn't you want to wait until after the Tournament?"

Uub blinked. Supreme Kai? Old Kai?! Where did this come from, all of a sudden? What else does Master Goku know?!

Pan shook her head. "I've made up my mind! If this Old Kai can help me reach my full potential, then take me to him!"

Uub's head spun with all this new information. An old man with the ability to unlock someone's full potential? Uub considered his strength for a moment. Rather than following in Pan's footsteps to achieve a new stage of power, he'd rather understand his own power first. His mother often told him that God had all the answers if he prayed, which Uub considered. But what better way to find answers than to talk to God in person?

Goku ruffled his granddaughter's hair. "Alright. I'll take ya there, but first, I wanna sit down for a good meal."

"Coco and Natta should have started on breakfast by now," Uub noted before leading the two back to his village.

The twins had not expected Goku's return so abruptly, which meant they needed extra time to cook more, knowing how much of an appetite Goku brought with him. Along with his other siblings, the three waited and chatted until the food was served. Goku expressed his condolences to Uub's family, listening to their assertions about what they wanted to do when they were older. Uub expected Pan to cry again, but she eagerly listened in, too. After a rough few days, he was glad to see her in better spirits.

When it came to Goku's turn, he didn't say much about what he did during his time off. It boiled down to visiting a few old friends and catching up on some training. Uub hoped for something exciting he had encountered in the four months he was away, but that was all that was divulged. What is Master hiding?

After stuffing their faces, Goku tapped his stomach. "That was delicious! Thank you!"

Coco and Natta bowed. "We're glad you like our cooking, Mister Goku. We can't be as good as mom was, but we want people to be happy when they eat."

As things were being cleared and cleaned, Pan busied herself packing her belongings. Now that Goku was back, she knew it meant returning to her family before the Tournament. Uub can sense her eagerness to see her parents' faces again after a lengthy absence. As for Uub, this was still his home. He didn't need to pack anything other than a change of clothes he kept in a small bag. Goku's return meant that he was ready to put the turtle hermit's training to the test.

"Right. I'll take you both to the Lookout, then bring Pan to see the Old Kai," Goku explained. "You can spend time training with Piccolo if you'd like until we return."

Uub embraced his siblings. "Take care of each other while I'm away. Once the Tournament's over, I'll come back."

He wasn't expecting them to attend the spectacle, but Goku had helped provide the village with a television set and a generator from Capsule Corporation to provide electricity. The Chieftain regarded the strange box suspiciously until Pan showed the villagers how it worked. Rather than indulge the village, the Chieftain took it with him to his hut. Occasionally, villagers would sneak a peek through the window to watch what was on the screen, laughing at comedy sketches, admiring Hercule's antics as he spoke to the press and engaging in social gatherings. The retired World Champion's face was never too far from a television camera and an array of microphones.

After the Chieftain said his goodbyes to Uub, Pan, and Goku, Uub reflexively touched his forehead with his fingers, expecting to use Instantaneous movement to teleport them to Piccolo's location. He noticed Goku had moved his arm simultaneously, to which he grinned. "Go ahead, Uub."

Moving from one location to the other was easy for the trio. The sights of the village changed to that of a majestic landscape with a temple occupying the middle. It was the biggest temple Uub had ever seen, judging from several pictures Pan showed him of ancient civilizations as part of her history and archeological lesson plan Gohan made for her. Sitting near a tree was Piccolo, deep in meditation. It took Uub a few steps before he realized that the air was thicker and colder than what he was accustomed to.

He wrapped his arms around himself. "I never expected it to be this cold."

"That's because we're way up in the sky," Goku said from behind. Uub and Pan glanced at each other. As much as this was to take in, being surrounded by a sea of clouds was not at all unexpected.

"Uncle Piccolo!" Pan shouted to the green-skinned man. He opened his eyes. "So you've finally come, have you?"

His question was more directed at Uub. "The Room of Spirit and Time is ready for us."

"Room of Spirit and Time?" Uub asked. He looked to Goku for answers, but his Master assuaged the situation. "We're not ready yet. I'm taking Pan to the Old Kai in the Otherworld first."

Piccolo's eyebrows rose for a moment but directed his attention to Pan. "You intend to awaken your potential as your father did?"

Pan nodded. "I want to become strong, like Papa. I want the strength to go far in this Tournament and prove myself."

There was a strength in their bond that Uub could see more clearly now. He hoped, in time, he could share a bond with Piccolo, and those Master Goku had known throughout his life. Uub believed that his time to leave the village was drawing near and contemplated how he would approach his future once the Tournament was over. He doubted his relationship with Goku as master and student would continue and instead wanted it to be a strong friendship of martial artists that would watch each other's backs in a time of need.

"When I come back, you better be amazed, Uub," Pan boasted, pointing at him. "I'm gonna test my new power against you when the time comes."

"I'm looking forward to it," Uub said, equally confident. He presented his fist for Pan to bump hers with, both friends sharing a nod. Seconds later, Goku and Pan teleported off the Lookout.

When Uub turned his attention to Piccolo, two more figures appeared from the main entrance to the temple. Is this the one they call God?

Piccolo gestured to them. "This is Dende, the Guardian of Earth, and Mr. Popo, his assistant."

Uub bowed as formally as his body would allow it. "It is an honor to meet you, God."

Dende chuckled. "You can call me Dende. It's okay."

"Great honor to meet you, Uub," Mr. Popo said, bowing. Uub had never seen someone as unique as him, but he could tell there was something ancient about those eyes of his superimposed on skin blacker than night. If Piccolo hadn't alluded to Dende as the God of the Earth, Uub would've figured this Popo fellow to be the deity himself. Equally strange was his manner of speech.

Uub was so caught up in meeting new faces that a gust of wind caused him to shiver. "It's much colder here than at my village."

"You'll adjust quickly," Dende said. "It was cold for me at first, too."

Uub rubbed his arms for warmth until he stopped shivering. "This place is huge. How many rooms are in this temple?" That was a dumb question to ask first. Why aren't you asking the important ones?

"Lost count ages ago," Popo stated. "Enough for many people."

Uub noticed that Piccolo had tagged along as he was given a tour of the building. As they trekked through halls and stairwells, something about all of the scenery looked familiar, yet Uub couldn't figure out why. Why does it feel like I've been here before?

What was odder to Uub was how Dende, Piccolo, and Mr. Popo occasionally looked at him while he took in the sights. Veiled under their courteous gaze was something more judgmental, Uub noticed, but they looked too friendly even to give off that intuition. Yet why were they looking at him as if he had done something wrong despite their pleasant faces?

"This place is incredible," Uub said, taking it all in. The architecture was something Uub wouldn't mind seeing replicated in his village to give it a more modern feel, but that was way more than what the village could afford. Hercule's generous donation afforded enough food to survive for a few years. However, they still had to make do with the materials around the islands to build everything. Perhaps something could be constructed with materials that resembled what was used here for a shrine to honor his parents?

Uub had more questions about the history of this place, but there was a glint in Dende's eye whenever Uub turned to ask him. His smile began to fade.

"Is something the matter, Uub?" Dende asked. Was his facial expression that obvious? Uub never hid emotions well, and it pained him to show these new people something that bothered him. He didn't want to come across as rude or untoward, especially when standing in God's presence.

"That look," Uub said, his eyes meeting Dende's. "Master Goku gives me that look as though he knows something about me that he's not telling me."

"We wouldn't keep secrets from you if we could help it," Piccolo interjected before Dende opened his mouth. "You want to know more about your power, correct?"

"Yes! Please tell me! It's bothered me for so long!" Uub exclaimed. "I shouldn't have this much strength as a villager of my island. I've done many things that none of the adults are even close to achieving, even when I was a kid. Why do I have this power? How did I come to have this power? I need to know the truth!"

"Truth is dangerous when met in person. Truth too difficult to accept for some people," Popo stated, yet Uub nodded. He was determined more than ever to find out.

"I'm ready to face the truth," Uub proclaimed. "I don't want to wait any longer. If you have the answers, please give them to me."

Uub gave Piccolo and Dende equally determined looks before the pair were resigned to accept his request. "Understood," Dende said.

"Then, follow. Special room this way," Popo said, directing Uub to walk behind him as the assistant led the group down the western section of the Lookout. When they circled the building, Popo turned a sharp right into a corridor that opened into a darkened room full of clocks that ticked loudly.

"Time Room here. Past, Present, Future. All intersect and merge here. When stepping on glyph, spirit will be transported to different moment in time. If ready, proceed," Popo explained, showing the glowing glyph in the middle of the floor. Above the glyph was a large pendulum that swung from side to side endlessly. Uub knew his heart was racing, anxious to see where this Time Room would take him. Would he travel to the future and discover something that may happen, or will he go far into the past to discover the truth? Either way, he was still determined to move on. Stepping forward, he placed himself within the glyph and closed his eyes. Around him, he could sense the room shifting and tingling, as if a low current of electricity was tickling his skin. Even with his eyes closed, it somehow looked as if the room had gone darker. He then felt his body jerked forward, pulled into an abyss as though he were forced to stare at time itself…

The Sacred land of the Supreme Kai

There was much in the way the sacred realm of the Supreme Kai mirrored that of Earth's once Pan's eyes adjusted to the view. It housed an abundance of life and oxygen for a location in a world where the dead could roam free. The scenery left Pan awestruck. "Wow! This place is amazing! Everything looks pretty!"

"Yo! Supreme Kai!" shouted Goku as he waved. The short, lavender-colored Supreme Kai was currently consulting with his associate, Kibito, a taller pink-skinned fellow with a dour-looking face, whom Pan noticed regarded Goku with disapproval. What a scary face that guy has.

The Kai, named Shin, and Kibito both greeted Goku formally. "Welcome, Goku. Some time has passed since our last meeting. I believe it was the Tournament of Power, wasn't it?"

That long? I was only a baby when Papa participated in that thing.

"Yet you still insist on such an informal greeting to the Supreme Kai," Kibito interjected, garnering a chuckle from Shin. "It's expected of Son Goku, Kibito. Who have you brought with you?"

Pan let out a squeak from her throat. She was still wondering if Kibito ever smiled that the Kai's voice surprised her. "Um, hello."

She gave a small wave to Shin while averting her eyes to focus on something other than Kibito. Any closer, and he'd eclipse her with his imposing stature. "I'm, um, Pan."

Goku chuckled. "Aw, c'mon, Pan! You don't need to be shy around the Supreme Kai. He's very nice once you get to know him!"

"It's not him, Grandpa," Pan said. She then pointed in Kibito's direction. "It's the bigger, scarier-looking guy."

Kibito went red in the face, clearing his throat. He then tried to force a smile, which only made him scarier to Pan. "I can be friendly, too! Look!"

Shin's friendly gaze never wavered. "It's alright. I assume there is a reason for your visit?" he asked Goku.

"Yeah. Can that Old Kai dude awaken Pan's potential the way he did Gohan's?" Goku asked.

"Old Kai Dude?!" Shin and Kibito shouted simultaneously.

Pan couldn't believe how casual Goku was acting throughout all of this. She expected to learn from her elder by following her Grandfather's example on how to treat others, but listening to the words coming out of his mouth left her uneasy. What if he botched the request, and they were sent home empty-handed?

The gentleman Pan believed to be the Old Kai himself had approached Goku and her from behind. He certainly looked old, judging by the number of wrinkles adorning his face, similar in color to Shin's, only with a small tuft of white hair that didn't look as sleek as the Supreme Kai's mohawk. Equally obvious was his gait, hunched forward with his hands comfortably nestled behind his back. "Still as uncouth as ever, I see," he muttered at Goku.

Goku lunged to the side, nearly tripping over himself at the sight of the Old Kai. Pan wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose. With all the emotions she had experienced within a week, it was only a matter of time before abject annoyance would run through her mind and face, which she assumed was red as a tomato by this point. I should've had Uncle Piccolo take me instead.

"Forgive me, Old Kai, sir," Goku said, placing his hands together. "I have a request."

"You want someone's potential awakened, is that it?" the Old Kai answered. His response was snappy. Pan crossed her fingers, begging for a reprieve. Please say yes.

The Old Kai then glanced at Pan and eyed her up and down. "Her? Her ki's familiar. Reminds me of that one spry young fellow I helped years ago."

Pan's eyes lit up. "Ah! That's my Papa! Son Gohan is my father!"

The Old Kai grinned. "Yes, of course. I can see the resemblance, now."

"So you'll grant our request, then?" Goku asked. The Old Kai's grin vanished, which Pan took as a bad omen.

"You come with a request yet offer nothing in the way of a gift?" the Old Kai muttered. Here it comes. He's going to say no.

"I know more girls you can interact with!" Goku offered. Pan's jaw dropped. Is this the same grandfather she grew up with? She couldn't believe what Goku was offering.

"You've yet to offer up your wife, you know," said the Old Kai with a mischievous grin. Both Shin and Kibito were beside themselves, palming their faces. Heat rose in Pan's face. He wanted this old creeper to touch Chichi inappropriately? The more the Old Kai grinned and revealed his pervy nature, the less inclined she felt about allowing him to awaken her potential.

"Chichi's have sagged too much. But I know someone else who's still got her youthful figure intact!" Goku said, negotiating with the pervy old Kai. All this touching talk reminded her of Roshi's adult magazine, revealing a provocative image from its pages for a brief moment. But the way Goku described a younger woman who was still in the prime of her physique made Pan think of only one person, which only made the heat rise even higher in her cheeks.

"Grandpa! Are you seriously going to offer my mother to this old pervert?!" Pan yelled. She was still small, but she had no trouble rounding on her grandfather, who knew he was caught red-handed. Goku waved his hands in front of her. "W-we don't have to! I can still suggest Bulma if you'd like! She's been working on keeping herself from aging!"

Pan glared at him. He'd better devise a proper solution to the mess he's created. However, when he cleared his throat, the Old Kai allowed things to de-escalate.

"Alright, settle down, young one," he said. As jovial as he sounded when offered to touch a woman, none of that tone was apparent as he spoke to her. "I'll awaken your potential only because I still hold a lot of respect for your father. He was a kind soul who was determined to do the right thing. You don't often come across fellows such as him."

Pan let the air expel from her, relieved. "Thank goodness…!"

"However," the Old Kai interjected. "There are ground rules to the ritual, and I expect you to follow them as strictly as Gohan has, understood?"

"Yes, I understand," said Pan. The Old Kai signaled Shin to approach her. "Give her some better attire, would you?"

"Wait, what—?" Pan said but was cut off when Shin showered her in a strange light. When it faded, she found herself wearing the same outfit as Shin's. "Ehhhh…?!"

The heat returned to her cheeks. "You can't seriously expect me to wear this, do you?!" She tugged at the fabric, patting the outfit with her hands. Something felt off about her ears until her fingers rubbed a pair of earrings dangling from her lobes. "Why am I wearing this?! It looks so weird!"

"Tut! I won't hear any complaining during the ritual. That is the formal attire of a Supreme Kai trainee, and I won't have you disrespecting it, missy. Now, follow me," the Old Kai said, beckoning her with a finger. He led her to a small hill in a wide-open area. "Stand here and don't move," he instructed.

"Why can't I move?" Pan asked. The Old Kai silenced her with the wave of a hand. "I can't perform the ritual if you shuffle your feet all about. Now stand perfectly still."

Is this guy for real? Pan sighed, crossing her arms. She watched the Old Kai stretch his arms and legs, cracking his knuckles and back to limber himself up. For what, she wasn't certain until he began to walk.

It wasn't so much a walk but a shimmy and shaking of his hands and legs. Pan's mouth dropped, watching this ridiculous movement. "What the—?!"

"Hush! No talking during the ritual!" yelled the Old Kai as he circled the base of the hill. Pan blew a stray strand of hair from her face, pouting as she was resigned to watching a pervy old man make weird dancing motions as he circled the hill.

On and on, the Old Kai moved. Was there no end to this? Was this the ritual that awakened her power? How long has it been? How many times is this Old Kai going to walk like that around the hill? I'm losing feeling in my legs!

So much time had passed that Pan's eyelids began to close. Standing for hours in the same spot bored her to the point where she wanted to sleep the rest of it off. "Don't fall asleep!" the Old Kai reminded her. Pan shook her head, sighing at him. How can I not?! You've been dancing for what feels like forever!

The Old Kai took his last two steps as soon as Pan finished her thought. He craned his neck from side to side before marching up the hill to sit before her. He motioned for her to sit, which was the most welcoming request she had ever expected. "Finally…!" she shouted, plopping down on her back instead of sitting as the Kai did. He cleared his throat, staring at her. "I said sit, not lie down, girl."

Pan groaned, propping herself to a cross-legged position. She rested her elbows on her legs, leering at the Kai with her face in her hands. "So did I get stronger?" she asked.

"Goodness no, that was the ritual of good fortune. I was blessing you with a warrior's spirit through ritual dancing," the Old Kai explained, making Pan groan even louder. "Patience, young one. The hard part's over."

He conjured a graphic novel between his legs while raising his hands forward towards Pan. "So what do I do during this?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just sit and let me work my magic," the Kai responded. More waiting?! Ugh! I'm starting to regret wanting this!

She often glanced at Goku, wondering what he was up to while this "ritual" took place. He did move around and practice his martial arts, something she wished she could do instead of standing and sitting for hours. Shin and Kibito had resumed their conversation before her arrival with Goku, but they were out of earshot for her to hear anything. The only thing breaking this silence was the occasional giggling from the Old Kai as he read his book.

I hope you're having a better time than I am, Uub.

Facing the past

Uub felt his momentum pulled so fast that he nearly fell over the edge of an elevated outcrop overlooking an industrial section. Correcting his balance, he adjusted his vision to what lay below. Smoke spewed from chimneys, polluting the skies above with a sickly blood-red hue. The area immediately gave off an evil vibe.

Uub took no chances and suppressed his ki once he had his bearings together. The last thing he needed in this strange place was for someone to find him out and attack for no reason, or worse, get captured. He crouched low, watching for signs of activity from the industrial buildings, one of which opened up an overhead door large enough to fit a moving truck. Uub waited to see what emerged first.

Several amphibian-looking humanoid aliens emerged from the building, all carrying weapons. Uub's stomach went into knots the longer he observed them. I'm sensing a lot of evil ki within that group.

Lying flat against the ground, Uub poked his head over the cliff. He did not want to get caught by them, nor would he want to engage in a needless fight if he could help it. He waited for an opportunity to climb down, searching the cliff face for foot and handholds. The area around him was dark save for overhead lights next to the building illuminating the route that would lead vehicles out of the area via a paved route. Once he was certain the aliens weren't looking in his direction, he climbed down quickly.

Still low to the ground, Uub moved closer to the side of the building opposite where the aliens were exiting, studying their movements. Two directed transport trucks with glowsticks, while others climbed up on the side as the truck passed them. Through their evil ki, Uub was drawn towards their foreheads. The letter "M" was branded in a strange cursive script, white superimposed on their dark green foreheads. The "M" itself was just as unsettling as the evil ki Uub was sensing, yet something about it felt familiar.

The overhead door of the building closed once the last truck left. Where are those vehicles going? And what are they carrying?

There was nothing else extraordinary regarding the amphibian aliens other than the presence of evil ki and that strange "M." He wasn't sure whether they knew how to fly or use ki, but Uub needed to follow those transport trucks. He powered up and took flight before the aliens had any hope of figuring out who was eavesdropping.

The road stretched from the industrial section to a city full of lights and signs advertising all sorts of activity. Signs showed prize fights, sporting events, and ads for drinks. It looked like an advanced civilization with all these buildings ahead, but Uub couldn't shake the feeling that the Time Room had sent him to the past rather than the future. Now to find where those things are going.

He trailed the trucks to the tallest building in the middle of the city. The building had the same "M" imprinted on the front, the largest letter M he had ever seen. "What does that M stand for…?" he pondered. He thought of many bad words that began with "M," but the best he could conclude was "Malicious."

One of the smaller buildings nearby had an open roof for him to land on. He continued to observe the trucks enter through another overhead door where two guards were standing, both equipped with weapons. If he anticipated where the trucks led him, he'd have to quickly tail the rear-most vehicle before the door closed behind it.

Locking onto the evil ki of the aliens riding in the rear truck, he touched his forehead to teleport himself on top of it. He immediately lay flat before the truck passed underneath the arch, staying until the door had closed behind him. He waited until the trucks drove down a spiraling tunnel to reach a loading dock, where other amphibian aliens with the same "M" brand stood by, expecting them.

Uub leaped off and sidled by a pillar, peeking around to watch the trucks back into the dock. The crews offloaded humanoid-sized capsules from each one until all of the cargo was accounted for. The truck then left the dock once the last capsules were loaded onto mobile platforms to be lifted via a freight elevator.

I can't give away my position. There has to be another way to sneak into this building. It must have a different entrance than the main one.

He teleported to the top of the rear truck once more as it left the loading dock to exit the building. However, he had not expected a welcome party waiting for him. Once the truck passed the overhead door, it stopped. What the-?

"You, on the roof! We know you're up there!" shouted one of the aliens. "We caught you on camera!"

"Crap…!"

Uub leaped to engage the aliens with blaster rifles trained on him. "That's as far as you go, stranger. What were you doing snooping down there?" asked one of them.

"Master Bibidi said to kill all interlopers," said the alien to his left. "He does not want us questioning anyone. Kill him immediately."

If these aliens were firing from their weapons at him, Uub had a clear advantage. He moved quickly to dodge each blast to knock the aliens unconscious, sometimes breaking the weapons in their hands before firing more shots. Once the last of them fell to the ground, Uub looked to the entrance. "I guess sneaking around is out of the question."

The reception area was a gruesome scene once Uub entered. Dead bodies littered the floors and reception desk, all pelted with holes caused by those weapons. Seemed as though those "M" branded aliens were responsible, likely taking over this building for something sinister.

The more bodies he inspected, the more disturbing some looked. While a few were shot, others looked drained of their energy. Their faces were hollow, grey, and faded, as though something sucked the very life out of them.

After assessing the damage, he offered a small prayer for the deceased. "I'm sorry you had to go through such an ordeal. I'll find whoever's responsible and make them pay."

He ran over the name Bibidi in his head. Another name that he had never heard of, yet it sounded like something he had heard before. The name rolled off his tongue easily as he repeated it, making his skin crawl.

Where were those capsules being taken to? Uub spotted a number on a panel on the wall, counting down fast. When it finished counting, it read "G." Then there was a ding sound before a set of doors under the panel opened, revealing more of those aliens brandishing weapons. One of them, in particular, had what resembled a jar with a long narrow tube shaped like a needle. On the side of this jar was the same "M" he had seen on their foreheads.

"Don't move!" shouted the one holding the jar. "Seize him! I'll extract his energy for Master Bibidi."

"Who's this Bibidi?!" Uub shouted back. "Why did you kill all these people?!"

"That's none of your concern, kid," said the jar-holding alien, smirking. "Now, hold still."

Uub wasted no time making quick work of these aliens. The one holding the jar attempted to stab him but was snuck from behind and chopped in the back of the neck to knock him unconscious. Uub stepped on the jar to shatter it, crushing the "M" under his foot.

He heard of these devices called elevators from his education in the village, yet had never ridden one in his life. He pressed the "up" button, opening the doors. If Bibidi was in the building, he'd have to be on the top floor. Uub touched the top-most button.

The elevator moved up each floor quickly, judging by how fast the numbers moved in the panel. As he neared the top, the presence of evil ki was much stronger than what he sensed in those aliens. Uub knew he was close to the source, to this Bibidi.

The doors opened to reveal a corridor leading to a single door at the end. The door was saturated with a strong concentration of evil ki different than what Uub detected. The barrier disrupted Uub's perception of the door, twisting and turning it. Uub anxiously approached it, heightening his ki in response. This door was the only thing Uub believed separated him from Bibidi, and it needed to be taken out.

He reached for the handle but was zapped with a bolt of black electricity. Uub shook it out of his hand and stepped back. "Ow…!"

He risked another jolt by aiming for the door itself with a punch. He struck the door but could not move it. He tried other physical means: kicking, barging it with his shoulder, punching it again, but nothing was making a dent in that barrier. Whatever this force was, it was intended to ensure no outsiders would break it down.

"Time to use something stronger," Uub said. He stepped back and cupped his hands to his side. Gathering ki, he centered it in his hands, forming a Kamehameha that he was sure would get the job done.

"Ha~!"

Uub fired the blue-white energy beam that struck the barrier. It began to bend, but there was a lot of resistance behind it as Uub continued firing.

With a shout, Uub amplified the beam's power until the barrier began to crack. Seconds later, it shattered, dissolving off of the door. Uub's energy beam continued to fire, blowing the door itself away.

"I did it!" Uub shouted, releasing the beam. He sprinted to the door, which had embedded itself through a wall at the bottom of a stairwell. The stairs led up to the rooftop fire exit, his final destination.

The roof was an open area, large enough to allow a plane or a helicopter to land. It was converted into a platform that housed a strange wrinkled brown ball with a slit down the middle. Cold sweat clamored on Uub's face when he laid eyes on the large ball. There was a strong foreboding the longer he stared at the ball. The whole roof was saturated in evil ki.

Amid the amphibious aliens working on setting up those capsules he saw earlier, a small creature stood below the ball's platform, watching the ball itself pulse like a heartbeat. Uub hid behind the side of the exit door, observing the events unfold. None of this made sense, yet the sinking feeling in his gut every time he eyed that wrinkled sphere kept nagging his brain. It was another familiar sight. Why can't I shake this feeling that I've seen that sphere before?

He averted the sphere to watch the small caped creature monitoring it. When he spun to address the amphibious alien workers, Uub's eyes caught the "M" on that one's forehead, colored in white on a full-head black cap that covered the creature's face from what he could observe. Who is that? Is he the one they call Bibidi?

For the briefest of moments, Uub believed the short black-capped alien was aware of his presence and looked in his direction. Did he see me?!

He risked poking his head around and was relieved that the small creature had returned to working with the aliens. He decided to focus more on the capsules and what their purpose was. Each one was attached to a chamber that connected large wires fed directly into the platform the sphere was perched on. As he observed the capsules, his senses went haywire. Multiple living ki signatures suddenly awakened within them. If they were long and wide enough to fit a living person inside, then it dawned on Uub that those aliens were transporting people to connect them to this platform. But for what purpose?

The evil ki from the ball made it difficult to continue sensing those in the capsules, but Uub didn't want to stand by any longer.

All of this was wrong. Those people needed saving!

Uub fired his ki and ran to engage the aliens and that caped creature. "Hey! Let those people go!"

The caped creature and the aliens halted their movements to stare back at him. Armed with blaster rifles, they aimed them directly at Uub. "How dare you trespass on Master Bibidi's property!"

The caped creature elevated himself off the ground to float towards Uub. "It's quite alright. Continue with the operation as planned."

Uub fired several ki blasts to prevent the aliens from moving onward. "I won't allow this to go on any further! There are living beings in there, and I demand to know what you plan to do with them!"

One of the aliens growled in his direction. "You'll make no such demands! Kill him!" he directed to the other armed aliens. They opened fire, which Uub dodged. He responded with quick movements as he did with the aliens below, but that only seemed to amuse the caped creature even more. As Uub knocked out one after the other, sending some flying off the building, he could overhear a pair of them speak with the ringleader.

"Master Bibidi, preparations are complete. We were about to start the mechanism when the intruder arrived," he explained.

Bibidi stroked protrusions from his cheeks. "Admirable work. It would seem you're a little late in your rescue efforts, boy!" he shouted at Uub.

"What the—?" Uub knocked the last armed alien unconscious and fired ki blasts at Bibidi. Each shot bounced off an energy barrier. "Dammit…!"

A voice in the back of his head nagged Uub to attack the mechanism directly. He needed to stop what was about to happen. Taking to the air, he built up energy in his hands, ready to fire a larger ki blast directly at the machinery that connected the platform to the capsules.

"I'll stop whatever it is you're planning!" Uub shouted. The moment he was ready to fire, his body froze in place. "Papparappa!" he heard shouted from below, directing his eyes to Bibidi, who had his arms raised, palms facing outward at him.

"What is this?!" Uub hissed. He struggled, but it only amused Bibidi even more.

"Tell me, how did you come across this power, boy? I sense something similar in you than what I have sealed in that lovely ball you see over there," Bibidi said. Uub kept trying to move, but it was like being tied with an indestructible rope that went tighter the more he struggled against it.

"Can't answer? What a shame," Bibidi said. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Uub shouted back.

Bibidi hovered around him. "Your power responded to my magic. I was not aware another one of you existed, yet your power reeks of purity. Despicable!"

"Master Bibidi, we're ready," said one of the aliens as he bowed. Bibidi wiggled his fingers, ready to do something else with his magic on Uub, but instead stroked his protrusion. "Oh, very well. I was about to kill this interloper, but I think I'll let Majin Buu handle this."

Majin Buu?!

Uub knew that name; only it did not have the "Majin" moniker attached to it. That was Hercule's pink rotund friend he had seen on television before. He never met him in person, but hearing the name come out of this evil magic user's mouth brought another memory from that day. Upon Buu's belt buckle was the letter "M," and dread soon crept up his body when he realized it was the same "M" he was seeing before him. What did Hercule's friend have in connection with Bibidi?

Uub also remembered what Bibidi said a moment ago. Another one like me exists? What does he mean?

Could it be what was sealed in that ugly-looking ball on the platform? Uub was still helpless to stop Bibidi from breaking that ball and unleashing what was inside. The aliens operated the mechanism from a panel by pushing buttons and turning dials to the far right. Steam jets puffed and churned from the pipes, but those were only a prelude to the screams Uub heard from inside the capsules. The ki signatures echoed the agony the occupants were subjected to, which only angered Uub as he had to witness their lifeforce depleting fast until nothing was left to sense.

"Stop it!" Uub screamed. Fighting Bibidi's magic, his anger pushed him to move against the binding until there was less resistance. Bibidi's eyes widened at Uub's display of power until he released his magical hold. "You're too late to save them! All their energy has been extracted and siphoned to that lovely ball you see before you! Majin Buu will awaken again!"

Uub stopped. Bibidi was right. A spike of evil ki suddenly emerged from inside the ball on the platform, but Uub was too distracted by the incoming aliens who rushed him to stop the process from completing itself. No! I have to destroy this somehow!

Uub powered up even more and unleashed a kiai shout to blow these loathsome grunts away. Bibidi shielded his face and body with another barrier, growling back at Uub. "You insect! You'll pay for being a nuisance!"

Cupping his hands to his side, Uub channeled ki to form another Kamehameha, bigger than the one he used to break the barrier on the door earlier. He needed to vaporize this ball before it freed the mass of evil ki inside. This city he found himself in contained an abundance of life forms, something he did not want to be disturbed or destroyed by whatever this evil ki was going to do. If this really was Buu, as Bibidi said, then Hercule was in trouble, and he'd have to rescue him after he was done here.

Forgive me. So much death all at once was more than Uub wanted to face after watching his mother pass away. He wanted to make it up to them.

Firing the Kamehameha, the bluish-white energy beam was aimed at the ball. Before it struck, the ball split down the middle, where steam shot out. Hatched from the ball was a pink cloud that floated upward out of the way of the beam as it continued onward, unable to strike anything.

Releasing the beam, Uub froze. Dammit, I wasn't fast enough!

The cloud floated to the platform and formed itself. Uub could no longer doubt that this would be Buu, but the cloud was forming something different. It was forming something smaller.

Once the cloud solidified, the creature had the shape of a child. It was pink like the rotund Buu from television, had the same holes and antenna on top of its head, and had the "M" on its belt buckle. But that's where the similarities stopped. The evil concentration of ki multiplied considerably now that this creature was freed from its ball. Its eyes were blacker than the deepest abyss of space with blood-red irises.

It was like a raging storm of molten lava boiling in Uub's stomach combined with the coldest chill. The color drained from his face as he stared at the creature. This can't be the same Buu? Can it?

The sensations intensified once Buu stared back, only its eyes widened out of curiosity. Uub and Buu locked eyes. The more Uub stared, the more Buu stared back, puzzled. Everything around him was blurred out, leaving only himself and the creature. What continued filling Uub with the nauseating sensation was that while he stared at the creature, he was also staring back at himself.

What is going on?! It feels like I'm staring at my reflection, yet I look exactly like Buu!

"Buu! What are you standing around for! Stop gawking and kill him!" Bibidi yelled at the creature. There could no longer be any doubt that this was Buu if Bibidi insisted on it. Uub and Buu continued this bizarre staring contest until he noticed that when Buu raised his hand to scratch a wayward itch with its stubby digit, Uub found himself doing the same thing with his hand, mimicking Buu.

Uub shook his head, trying to peel his eyes away from Buu. He stared at his hands, wondering how he and Buu were moving simultaneously but gasped when he saw his hands were shaped like Buu's. When he looked up, he saw that Buu had done the same. "Stop doing that!"

Uub abhorred this game of mimicry Buu was playing and acted first. Zipping towards him in successive bursts, he fired a large ki blast at point-blank range that seemed to incinerate Buu before the creature could react in time.

"Ah! Majin Buu!" Bibidi screeched. He scurried back when Uub glared at him. Uub readied a second blast aimed at Bibidi, but his ki sense went haywire again. Whatever he used to attack Buu did not affect it.

"It can't be—!"

Pink bubblegum-like globs floated in the air before converging to reform Buu. It no longer had a bewildered expression but instead glared at Uub with a malicious tooth-filled grin. Uub didn't want to waste time being confused about this creature's nature and how fast it could recover from being hit. He continued the offensive, flying in to kick Buu in the head.

The impact was enough to stun Buu, which allowed Uub to continue his assault. But Buu grabbed him by the throat and pushed him away, extending its arm. Uub struggled against Buu's grip as the pink creature fired continuous ki blasts.

I need to act fast!

Uub swung down to chop through Buu's arm. Pulling the severed limb from his neck, he tossed it aside to fire back at Buu with his own barrage of ki blasts. However, he did not expect the arm to move independently. Retracting the stump, Buu moved his finger to control the appendage, which coiled itself into a ball. Buu then directed it to strike at Uub in movements too rapid for Uub to block accurately. He flew to gain distance, but the arm was trailing and gaining on him. Buu made the arm snap forward to hit Uub in the back of the head before rounding him to land a blow to his gut. Buu would've scored another hit had Uub not caught the arm with his hands.

Launching it to the air, Uub put two fingers to his forehead to lock onto Buu's ki below and teleported himself directly in front before the arm flew down to hit him again. Uub struck Buu with strong blows that knocked the creature around, but it recovered effortlessly, tilting its head to grin at Uub. It savored the punishment dealt to him, Uub noticed, adding another layer of dread in his chest.

Uub leaped out of the way of the incoming severed arm before it crashed through the roof. Buu continued to direct it remotely with his hand, grinning the whole time. The creature was enamored in this sadistic method of playtime with Uub, causing his arm to create holes through the building as it chased Uub. He frequently teleported to gain distance, but each time he reappeared, he realized Buu had anticipated where he'd emerge to direct the arm to strike. There was little Uub could do but destroy the arm before it wore him down with blow after blow. Buu immediately regenerated a new arm in place, using his hands to amass a large swath of ki into an energy ball that he grew over his head. Uub's heart raced as his anxiety soared, watching the pink creature channel far more energy than was needed for the battle.

"Hey! Majin Buu!" Bibidi cried from the roof. "What are you doing?!"

What is Buu doing?! No, don't tell me-!

It became clear to Uub that Buu meant to wipe out not only the city but the planet itself with the level of energy he'd accrued in the energy ball.

"No! Don't do it, Buu! Let's fight it out first!" Uub yelled before realizing what he had said. I've heard that said before, but from whom? How do I remember hearing those words?

Shaking it off, he watched the reddish-pink glow of the sphere illuminate the city. "I have to stop this! KA…ME…!" Uub knew he needed all the power he could muster for this Kamehameha if there were a way to stop this sphere of destruction from obliterating the planet and everyone on it. He wasn't about to let more bodies weigh on his conscious. "HA…ME…!"

Buu launched the sphere. Uub countered with the Kamehameha. The beam struck the sphere, but it only seemed to slow it down. The sphere continued its trajectory towards Uub and the planet's surface, creating devastation in its wake from its power. The city around Uub was being ravaged as the sphere descended. Buildings crumbled, people screamed in panic as they fled, and debris floated upward. The main building Bibidi stood on crumbled apart, forcing him to levitate and float in the air while erecting another barrier to protect himself. He hovered a safe distance behind Buu, watching the two energies collide against each other.

"Come on! I need more power!" Uub yelled. His body responded as if it understood, and the beam received a boost to blow the sphere back. Buu's grin vanished, watching with confusion, only for the grin to return. He amplified the sphere's output with several additional ki blasts, pushing Uub back. Uub's brow furrowed. "Not yet…!"

Uub belted another yell and increased the beam's power once again. The exchange of additional power to the struggle reached a threshold until there was too much energy for both to contain. It resulted in a massive explosion that blew Uub back and tore Buu apart as a dome of energy formed, expanding outward in all directions.

Flipping over several times in the air, Uub corrected his flight to stop, shielding his face from the impact. From above the dome, pieces of Buu emerged and rejoined to regenerate the creature whole once again, leaving Uub a bewildering mess of frustration and dismay. Dammit, nothing seems to kill this thing!

Buu's grin was gone far longer this time. The creature seemed to have had enough playtime and glared at Uub. It made a noise from its throat before launching its body to Uub. Squeezing its body into a ball mid-flight, Buu narrowly avoided Uub had Uub not arched his back to dodge a blow to the face. He flipped around to punch and kick the ball-shaped Buu away, only for the creature to return just as fast.

Uub continued until he stopped the ball with a kiai shout, thrusting his hands forward. With another shout, he enveloped the ball in a ki sphere that shredded Buu again, but Uub began to realize something as Buu's goo-like bits reformed into multiple copies. He realized how weaker his attacks were landing, including his energy attacks. The Kamehameha should've wiped Buu completely, but watching it reform each time was wearing his stamina down.

He then gasped as the numerous Buus opened fire with ki blasts on him. An image appeared in his head of Buu doing the same; only he was watching it from Buu's perspective. The target was too blurry to make out, but recognizing that he was the one attacking the blurred image felt too real to be just an image.

He had little time to react as he defended himself against the barrage before zipping out of the blast zone to return fire. The multiple Buus were weaker, which allowed Uub to blow away many of them.

Whole again, Buu stretched its leg until it kicked Uub in the gut. Rather than retract its leg, Buu pulled himself to Uub, following the kick with a tackle that sent him flying into a demolished building. Uub was not afforded time to recover, watching multiple ki blasts rain down on the building around him, crumbling it even more on top of him.

Uub's bursts of power teemed with desperation now. The latest one broke him out of the rubble to launch himself in the line of fire to strike at Buu. "I won't give up!" he shouted.

He readied a punch but was hit with another image. This time it was clearer as he watched himself blast several people with a pink beam that transformed them into chocolate. The screams that preceded their horrific change rang in Uub's ears before he was struck hard in the face with Buu's fist. Buu coiled its body around Uub and squeezed before Uub could have time to move away. The creature's laughter was torturous to Uub's ears. He growled, struggling to escape Buu's bindings before the creature shot him from his body like a cannon, sending him crashing into another demolished building below.

The accumulated damage done to him by Buu left little energy to crawl out of the wreckage. More images bombarded his mind of things Buu had done or might have done. He wasn't certain what all of them were, but they involved death and destruction, as seen before him with the ruined city. He witnessed screaming faces before they were incinerated. He saw people fleeing before they were transformed into candy. He even saw billions of energy beams soar from the heavens to strike every target it aimed for. What made it worse for Uub was that the place the beams were fired from was the Lookout.

"Stop! Get out of my head! What is going on?!" Uub screamed, holding his head. Each image saw Buu's face in different forms, some larger than the one he had been fighting. When one particular image appeared, Uub's face sunk.

He was fighting Goku, as Buu. Goku had a different form, though, one he hadn't seen him in during his time spent with him. His gi was different, but there was no mistaking the determined look on his Master's face, framed with a long mane of golden hair and the absence of eyebrows. Uub could sense each punch and kick as an echo on his body, but none of this made any sense!

One final image, the clearest he had ever seen, was framed in his eyes as though it were happening before him now. Buu had formed another sphere, even larger than the one previous, leaving Uub unable to avoid it. The image superimposed Goku's body over Uub's, while the energy sphere shifted from a deadly pink menace to a blue-white ball of pure life energy.

Uub moved his arms without realizing it, attempting to catch the ball. In his panic, he could hear Goku's voice. "You were awesome! You fought well, all by yourself!" the voice said. Uub's legs buckled under him, causing his body to sink into the ground. "This time, get reborn as a good guy! I want to fight you, one-on-one. I'll be waiting for you!" Goku then smiled. "And I will have gotten much, much better!"

"Master?!" Uub shouted. But the image vanished, leaving only the frightening scene of Buu's sadistic smile, glaring eyes, and the energy sphere that was seconds away from annihilating him.

"MASTER—!"
The world before him went dark, and screams for his master were muffled.

When he opened his eyes, he was back in the Time Room. The clocks continued ticking monotonously while the large pendulum swung perpetually above him.

He spun to face Piccolo, Dende, and Mr. Popo. "Where—?"

"You're in the Time Room, Uub," Dende told him.

"The Time Room?! Where was that place I was at?"

"Room take you to place in the past. Body remained here, but mind and spirit went on journey," Popo explained. Uub patted his body to check. Sure enough, Popo was right. He couldn't feel any injuries on his body either. Whatever Buu had done to him was only done to him in his mind, like an out-of-body experience.

"What did you discover while you were in there?" Dende asked. Uub's eyes went wide. Recount the horrors he witnessed? Those images that flashed in his mind? Or the eerie experience of moving his body simultaneously with Buu's? Where to begin?

"I was on this planet. There were aliens with strange symbols on their heads, shaped in the letter M," Uub began, which was immediately met with a startled reaction from the trio.

"The letter M?!" Piccolo muttered. "Did it have a unique curvature?"

Uub was disturbed that Piccolo knew what he meant. "Yes! How did you know?"

"We've seen it before, long ago. It exists now on the creature known as Buu, who's friends with Hercule down below," Dende explained. Uub's legs were ready to give out.

"There was this short alien with a head covering where his eyes could poke through. He had servants that called him Master Bibidi," Uub continued to recount, but that was interrupted by another reaction from Piccolo and Dende.

"The Time Room sent you far into the past if you encountered Bibidi," Dende said. He explained how the Supreme Kai brought him up to speed about Bibidi and his offspring Babidi. They were warlocks that wielded powerful magic that could be used to summon the demonic entity of destruction known as Majin Buu. The information twisted Uub's insides.

"Bibidi captured innocent civilians to siphon their energy so he could awaken Buu from its seal. I can still remember their screams," Uub whispered. He sank to his knees, slamming his fist on the floor.

"I fought Buu, but no matter what I did, he regenerated so fast! I couldn't do anything!" Uub's voice began shaking. "When Buu and I looked at each other, it was as if I saw myself in Buu's body, looking back at me. I can't explain it!"

He continued. "Then there were images of things I did to others in Buu's body that made no sense. I killed people. I turned them into chocolate and candy. I even fought Master Goku as Buu!"

He gripped the top of his gi tightly. He could feel his chest tighten as nausea built within, ready to burst. He blinked back tears as if they were inevitable.

Composing himself, Uub decided the only way to finish was to stare at the floor, averting his eyes. "The last image I saw was Master Goku sending this ball of energy at me. I heard him say that I should be reborn as a good person and that he'd be waiting for me. What does he mean, be reborn as a good person?"

Uub looked up afterward, begging for answers. Piccolo and Dende exchanged looks while Popo assisted Uub to his feet. "Will arrange room for Uub," he said on his way out.

Piccolo's eyes were downcast, yet Uub could tell he was about to tell him the rest of the truth. He prepared himself regardless.

"This won't be easy for you to accept, but now that you've seen a glimpse of the past, you deserve to know the truth. You are the reincarnation of Majin Buu, the one you fought against."

Uub stilled nausea as he listened to Piccolo recount what he remembered of Majin Buu and how the Buu that was Hercule's friend was a different version, a purely good version, whereas the evil Buu that was expelled eventually returned to its original form. Piccolo said that Goku had wished for Buu to be reincarnated, which King Yemma obliged. Uub retained all the powers that Buu originally had, yet it was cleansed of all the evil it had amassed since its inception.

Uub stared at his hands, expecting them to resemble Buu's, but was glad to see they were still his. "So I was once conceived from all the evil energy discarded across the universe?"

Dende was stoic in his explanation, but his calm, steady voice helped alleviate the tension in the room. "Since the beginning of time at the onset of our Universe's creation. We don't know when Buu had taken form, but warlocks such as Bibidi were able to seal and control him to use him as a weapon against their enemies. It wasn't long before he sought the Supreme Kai realm and nearly wiped out all the Kais if it weren't for the Grand Supreme Kai's sacrifice."

Uub digested Dende and Piccolo's words carefully, yet it did not minimize the nausea lodged in his throat, ready to expel his brother's breakfast. "Let me be alone for a while," he told them. He said nothing else as he walked past them. Popo waited for him, waving him over to follow him to one of the guest rooms.

"Bed, dresser, and toilet in side room. Understand if wish to be alone. Take time and rest," said Popo before he left. Uub climbed onto the bed and curled up on his side, staring at an antique lamp on a corner table.

The Comfort of a Friend

"We're back!" shouted Pan once she appeared on the Lookout with Goku the next day. She expected a warm reception upon her return, but the only one that greeted the pair was Piccolo, leaning against a pillar near the temple's main entrance.

Pan looked around, expecting to find Uub with him, but he was nowhere in sight. She thought he would've had a good time sparring with Piccolo to keep himself occupied until they returned, but the grim look on his face meant something else had happened.

Her voice alerted Dende and Mr. Popo, who emerged from the main entrance. "Ah, good to see you back. Did things go well with the Supreme Kai?"

Pan let out a mild groan. "It was the most boring experience of my life! Standing for five hours and then sitting for an entire day! The whole time I had to sit and watch him laugh at that stupid comic book he was reading while showing me those wrinkled hands of his! Ugh!" she finished, throwing her arms in the air. Tugging at the clothing bestowed by the Supreme Kai, she made a disgusted face while approaching Piccolo.

"Uncle Piccolo? Can I please get some better clothes?" she asked. The Namekian's dour face finally gave way to a grin. He hovered his hand over her and bathed her in a bright light that changed her wardrobe to resemble his. Once she had a good look at the purple garb, she grinned. "Thank you! I gotta show Uub my newly awakened power!"

Piccolo's grin didn't last long as he glanced at Goku. "Piccolo? What's wrong?" Goku asked.

"He knows." That was all Piccolo said before making his way to a random tree to sit and meditate. Goku glanced, puzzled. "Who knows…?"

"Uncle…?" Pan said, also puzzled. "Hey, what's going on? Where's Uub?"

Pan called for Uub a few times but was met with silence. She turned to Dende. "Can someone tell me what's going on? I wasn't expecting everything to look so depressing when we came back."

"Uub knows he was reincarnated from Majin Buu," Dende stated matter-of-factly. He didn't want to address Goku directly, but Pan could see both surprise and disappointment on her grandfather's face. "I see," was all Goku said in response, frowning.

"Majin who? What's going on? Isn't Buu Grandpa Hercule's friend? How can Uub be reincarnated from him?" Pan asked. She wasn't going to leave until she had the answers she needed, which was apparent by the way Dende's hesitant expression looked back at her.

"It's a long story. It involved your family and friends," Dende began. He explained everything to Pan as he had explained to Uub yesterday while Goku decided to speak with Piccolo. Once the guardian was finished, Pan's heart sank. "Poor Uub. That must've been awful for him."

"Come. Will lead you to guest room Uub is in," Mr. Popo said, offering to lead the way. Pan glanced back at Goku and Piccolo, wondering how long they knew about this and never told Uub about it.

Uub's back faced the entrance when Pan entered. The only source of illumination came from outside, showing Uub curled up on the bed. Pan rounded to each side to switch the lamps on to provide more light before sitting at the foot of the bed, glancing behind her. "Hey."

Her voice alerted Uub. He rolled over to face her, adjusting his position to sit cross-legged on the bed. "Hey," he whispered back.

"I wanted to make a big deal about my potential being awakened, but then I heard about what happened with you. Had I known you went through that, I would've stayed and joined you," Pan said, offering encouragement.

Uub chuckled softly. "Thanks, Pan. But if you had been involved, I would've been more worried about your safety than my own."

Pan glanced back at him. "I can hold my own in a fight. You know that."

"Not against Majin Buu. Or who I used to be," Uub said, correcting himself. He then shifted to the foot of the bed to sit next to Pan.

Pan tried to lighten the mood, but no subtle words formed in her head. "I'm sorry. I know very little about reincarnation or what it means."

"I'm fuzzy on the details, myself," Uub said. She noticed how often he looked at his hands, opening and closing them. It became so frequent she grabbed them. "Sorry."

"From what Dende told me, it doesn't sound like reincarnation is supposed to be a bad thing. I think it means taking the worst parts of your whole existence and changing them into the best parts. If you really were this Majin Buu or whatever, they must've decided you deserved a second chance. And you got to keep all those powers, too."

"That doesn't excuse all those things I did!" Uub yelled, leaving the bed. He punched the wall, tearing a section off. Pan could only watch, unable to find the right means to comfort him.

He spun to face her. "Now that I know, I keep seeing these images that I've no doubt were memories of things I did as Majin Buu. I don't remember any of it, but those images can't be fake if something deep inside makes me want to vomit each time I look at them."

Pan reached out with her hand, hesitated, then retracted it. "Uub." The anguish and anger in his eyes as he paced back and forth compelled her to comfort him, but how does one comfort someone with that much weight on his conscious?

"I have a power that shouldn't even be mine, to begin with," Uub continued. "I was given the powers of a monster that did nothing but destroy everything in its path. I feel cursed having this in me, now that I know. I feel that if I use it too much, I could do something I'll regret. What if…?" Uub's hands shook as he took Pan by the shoulders. He no longer looked angry but terrified. "What if the reincarnation wasn't a success, and I eventually change back into Buu? I don't want to hurt anyone. Not my family, not Master Goku, and—!" She could see a couple of stray tears come down his face. "Especially not you, Pan."

Pan took a deep breath, easing Uub's hands off her shoulders. Despite her height, she still wanted to stand firmly before her friend. "You're not a monster, Uub. You never will be. I see the kindest person I've ever met who loves his family and will do everything he can to protect them."

Uub sank to his knees, stifling sobs. "Pan…!"

"To be honest, I'd be just as scared and angry if I knew the truth, too," Pan told him. "But the good news is that you don't have to face this alone. I'll be with you every step of the way."

She knew she had the support of many people in her life when facing adversity. Having Uub comfort her when she watched his mother pass away helped alleviate a lot of the pain she would've had difficulty facing had she been alone.

She embraced Uub in her arms as he did her. Uub continued sobbing as though learning the painful truth led to finally grieving his mother's loss, something he tried to bottle up for days. But Pan could see how often he struggled whenever he watched other children hug their parents. He and his siblings were orphaned but were strong enough to look after each other.

The situation in the Time Room would've necessitated an embrace from his mother, with her soothing voice easing all the pain and suffering away, to tell him that everything was going to be okay and that she would still love him no matter what. Pan knew Uub would've loved having his mother here to comfort him, but she hoped her embrace worked just as well.

Once she was sure he had cried everything out of his system, she waited for him near the outside of the room. "Do you feel ready to join Grandpa and Uncle Piccolo?" she asked.

Uub wiped his face. "I should wash up first. I don't want to look like a mess," he said. Pan gave him a nod and waited until he returned. His face looked better than it did a moment ago, which she was relieved to see. Hopefully, he allowed his good nature and high spirits to motivate him back into action.

When the pair returned to meet Goku and Piccolo, Uub was calm again, with his lips curled into a grin. His eyes were still pained from the whole ordeal, but it wasn't enough to greatly concern Goku. "Master, I—"

"Ready to finish the last part of your training, Uub?" Goku asked with eagerness in his voice. Pan could sense that Goku knew there was nothing more he could say about the matter and opted to get Uub's mind focused on training for the Tournament. If there was still one more obstacle to overcome, she'd be there to help him.

Uub was hesitant at first, but Pan gave his arm a gentle squeeze, nodding. It was subtle enough to let him know it was okay, to which he responded by nodding at Goku. "Yes. I'm ready to finish our training, Master!"

"Great! You coming too, Piccolo?" Goku asked. Pan's eyes lit up. Finishing her training for the tournament with Uncle Piccolo? Oh, yes!

Pan jumped. "I want to spend the last few days with you, Uncle Piccolo! Thank you, Grandpa! This is going to be awesome!"

Piccolo scoffed. "If you think this is going to be easy, think again! The real training begins in the Room of Spirit and Time. If you can't handle me at my best, then you won't stand a chance at the Tournament, regardless of whether you had your potential awakened or not!"

Pan was determined, emphasizing that with a confident smile. "I will handle anything you throw at me, Uncle!"

The four marched to where Dende waited for them at the door which would lead them to the Room of Spirit and Time. Although only one day would pass by, in that room, it would be the toughest year Pan would ever face. But one glance at Uub, Piccolo, and Goku told her she wouldn't face it alone.